It’s cold and wet; we’ve actually had a few California folk go home.  Guess that may help the crowded freeway calm down a little.

The new book, Lifeboat Station Sailor is coming right along; am I glad that I saved all those pictures. I am searching for Gene Brown or his son Mark as we served together at Westport. I need pictures of Fred Gold, our Commanding officer, in 1957 at Grays Harbor Lifeboat Station and pictures of the crab boat FRANK L III – which sank on the bar in February, 1959 and the crab boat VICTORIA, which sank on the bar in January, 1958 and the ODANAH, a halibut schooner with the house forward, that I towed  in 1957. I think the ODANAH is based out of Astoria and I am trying to make contact with them.

We had a great lunch in La Conner with Roland and Nancy Miller. I served with him at the lifeboat station and he’s doing a proof read for me; it sure was fun seeing them – last time was maybe 10 years ago.

 

NANCY AND ROLAND E. MILLER, JR.

ROLAND AS A YOUNG COAST GUARDSMAN HE WAS TOUGHER THAN NAILS.

Capt. Towline Erik and Capt. Deep Sea Tom have been busy – they are always pushing somebody around. I got some good pictures of them towing the OCEAN PIONEER back and forth to dry dock but I have to do better with night shots, not quite up to my standards.  Tom has seen more salt water lately; I wonder where he had to go to get his nick name.

GRACE AND DIXIE JUST MAKING THE FREMONT BRIDGE.

RORY FROM STABBERTS AND CREW.

DIXIE ALONGSIDE OCEAN PIONEER.

GRACE AT STERN OF OCEAN PIONEER JUST ENTERING NORTHLAKE SHIPYARD DRYDOCK.

DIXIE PUSHING OCEAN PIONEER INTO DRY DOCK.

OCEAN PIONEER GOING DOWN THRU THE BRIDGES IN THE SHIP CANAL. I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT TOM AND ERIK WORK AT NIGHT TOO.

OCEAN PIONEER REALLY FILLS UP PETER'S DRYDOCK.

I told you last time that the STINGER had died; well, her replacement finally showed up… on a truck. Jack Wolfe (Associated Boat Transport) brought her to us; all 16 tons of her – now called the GENERAL LEE. She is 25 feet long and 11 feet wide and has an afterburner which makes a 6-71 put out 310 H.P. Of course we took the house off and put that in Tom’s garage and tore the rest of the boat apart so more on the new project later.

 

GENERAL LEE IN FOR REPAIRS JUST NEEDS A LITTLE REWIREING.

GENERAL LEE UNDERWAY TO THE REPAIR YARD. CAPT. TOM STOLE THE HOUSE AND TOOK IT TO HIS GARAGE.

HOUSE BARGE TOWING

JEFFERY FOSS WILL BE STATIONED IN NEAH BAY AS THE RESCUE TUG.

Capt. Erik gave me his roll of film this morning and on it is a picture of water and underneath the surface on the bottom is the old tug RUSTLER. They have been trying to give her away but no takers and she sank at Fisherman’s Terminal. I have some pictures of her she when she was very pretty and all fixed up when Foss owned her. I think she had a 110 H.P. Atlas and then she got a big Murphy – that I think Steve Tate put in her.

HERE LIES THE RUSTLER-------ON THE BOTTOM.

THIS IS THE LAST PICTURE THAT I TOOK OF THE RUSTLER LYING AT FISHERMANS TERMINAL.

RUSTLER IN FOSS LAUNCH AND TUG COLORS.

Also the old tug SOUND (Carl Foss) is being dismantled, the house is off her now. I have old pictures of her as a Gilkey Bros. Boat and evidently still in steam. Capt. Rob Paterson owned her for a long time. The engine was an Enterprise 170 H.P. at 300 rpm’s and  they put aluminum pistons in it and called her 200 H.P. at 400 rpm’s, so says my man in Gig Harbor. There are rumors that the engine is going into another tug?

       

TUG SOUND WITH HOUSE STILL ON HER.

TUG SOUND WITH HOUSE REMOVED.

SOUND AS STEAM TUG LOOKS LIKE CAP SANTE IN THE BACKGROUND.

SOUND AS CARL FOSS BOOMING ALONG.

TUG SOUND WHEN ROBIN PATERSON OWNED HER.

NANCY M is the name that Manson put on the SHELLEY FOSS and then repainted her in Manson red. Thanks Lisa!

 

SHELLEY FOSS IN HER NEW COLORS AS NANCY M.

I have more pictures from Our Man in Whidbey Island, Stan Willhight, thanks Stan.

TUG CALEB IN DRYDOCK AT ANACORTES 4-18-2010 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT OUR MAN ON WHIDBEY ISLAND THANKS STAN.

SMALL GRACE TYPE FOSS HARBOR TUG OFF MUKILTO WA 10-19-1978 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.

ANDREW FOSS AT THE LOCKS. 12-1975 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.

SEA PRINCE HOLDING FERRY AT MUKILTEO DUE TO DAMAGED WING WALL 11-1975 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT

PACIFIC TRADER WAS PACIFIC TITAN AND SUFFERED A BAD FIRE. I THINK DOUG LOGAN GOT HER AND MADE A CRABBER OUT OF HER PICTURE 9-9-1978 PHOTO BY STAN WILLHIGHT.

Bob Richardson, our Man in Coos Bay, has sent me pictures of his latest big trip. This time the photos are of the new C.G. Buoy Tender FIR; so I added some old pictures of the old FIR. I understand that the new boat has been sent to the Gulf to help in the oil spill.

 

NEW COAST GUARD BUOY TENDER (FIR) AT COOS BAY. PHOTO BY OUR MAN IN COOS BAY BOB RICHARDSON. THANKS BOB.

OLD FIR MUST BE A SPECIAL DAY WITH ALL THE FLAGS OUT.

OUR TUG SOVEREIGN WITH OLD FIR IN TOW.

I also made a big mistake! I listed the builder of the NUMAS WARRIOR model as Art Anderson when actually it was Ian Macpherson that built her; someday I will learn how to read. Also another picture of the Miki LLOYD B. GORE; gad, what a pretty boat.

MODEL OF MIKI LLOYD B GORE IT SURE LOOKS REAL PHOTO SENT ON BY GARY KING.

Thanks to Doug Leen, Our Man in Petersburg, for the picture of the KATHADIN. I believe that Doug is looking to bring the boat down our way to Seattle – so if anyone knows of a good moorage spot for a 70’ boat, call me and I’ll pass it on.

 

KATHADIN IN WINTER SUN SHE MAKES GREAT SOUNDS WITH HER WASHINGTON.

One of our men in Agate Pass Capt Skip Lampman sent me a stack pf tug boat pictures. I took this one black & white negative up to Moon Photo and had it printed it really turned out great so I will have more to share with you.

Mike Wright sent me some pictures of a model meet in San Francisco thanks Mike.

 

Keep sending those tug boat pictures! The blog should work better now that our man Dan has tuned it up.

                          

Fairtide Mark

 

PS: No word yet out of Our Man in Anacortes…